Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread: Your kids will never know it's "good" for them!

This is a re-post, but worth repeating. Do you have too many zucchini from your garden? Do you neglect to pick them before they grow too large and bitter like me? Then use them for zucchini bread. This recipe came from my mother-in-law and it very delicious.....seriously good. The best I've ever tried. You can't taste the zucchini which is why my kids and I love it! And with the added glaze it's like you're eating cake!

3 eggs, beaten
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 C flour
1 C canola oil
2 C zucchini

Glaze: Make a thin powdered sugar glaze and add some cinnamon.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 regular sized loaf pans or 1 large and 4 mini pans. Set aside.

First add oil plus chopped (doesn't have to be peeled. It's extra fiber. And it's pureed so it doesn't affect the texture but you can be if you prefer) zucchini into blender. Blend until smooth. Make sure it equals 3 cups. Add more zucchini until it is so.
Next, beat eggs, sugars and vanilla together. Add zucchini/oil mixture to egg mixture. Mix. Add remaining ingredients. Pour evenly into pans.

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool on wire rack.

VARIATIONS:
Lemon Zucchini Bread

1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 C chopped nuts

Omit cinnamon and nutmeg and add lemon rind and nuts.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread (pictured)

3 Tbsp cocoa
1 C chocolate chips

Omit cinnamon and nutmeg and add cocoa and chips.

Chocolate glaze:
In a double boiler melt 1/2 C chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp butter plus 5 Tbsp water. Stir until melted.

Off heat add:
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Wait until loaves are slightly cooled before glazing.


TO FREEZE:
You can freeze the oil/zucchini blended mixture in a quart sized freezer ziploc bag. Freeze flat. Thaw completely and prepare as normal.

OR you may freeze cooled cooked loaves with glazes. Wrap in saran wrap and then foil.

Enjoy!